Sounds like a harsh statement doesn’t it? There are three primary factors contributing to why I have made this my personal rule. We all know what it’s like to be hassled on the streets of any city. In New York you can’t walk five feet without someone who is down on their luck asking you for money, cigarettes, etc. The first factor is that many of these people are suffering from addictions. I don’t have any judgment in this assumption, but I don’t want to play a part in directly funding someone’s addiction. Simply put, bad karma. The second is; while it may provide temporary relief, it diminishes their view of themselves and reinforces their sense of powerlessness and hopelessness.
The third reason, and the one I want to focus on today is that there is no fair exchange of value. Simply put, just giving away money out of feelings of guilt or “wanting to make a difference” cuts into me. What do I mean by this? When I have given money freely in the past to someone on the street, beyond a temporary feeling of goodwill, I am left with the feeling that I have left something behind. There is no positive energy in the interaction or an exchange of value. Ultimately, there is not an even energy exchange and it hasn’t been a win-win for both parties.
The other day after a long haul at work I was headed home. I was tired, drained, and not in the best mood. As I made my way down to the subway platform, I clearly heard the sound of drums. It was uplifting and as I felt the beat my energy picked up. There were two people playing fast and both were really talented. They were using both their hands and their feet to craft different sounds, and created some really beautiful music. The people on the platform that gathered to watch them were smiling and taking pictures. Everyone was enjoying the environment they created. I was really engaged in the moment and was happy to be alive. One of the people in the crowd told me that the young man playing had been in the movie “Green Card”. For those few minutes that I was standing on the platform I felt that those two people made the world a better place to live in. I put a five-dollar bill into their offering can and stepped on the train as it arrived.
For the rest of the day, I was smiling because of their contribution. Their work and our appreciation was a fair exchange of value that left everyone energized. I will continue to focus my energy and attention on creating and participating in fair exchanges of value.
Marc
6 Responses
Stay in touch with the conversation, subscribe to the RSS feed for comments on this post.
Great article, Marc. As someone who is frequently in the city, I, too, experience a variety of feelings on this issue. I feel many of these people couldn’t hold a job and I wonder if they really want to beg? How do they feel about begging? And I have to wonder if I give, is it out of guilt? If I don’t give, am I being hard hearted? Once in a while there will be a beggar who touches something in me and I’ll give. Maybe the even exchange is the gift of compassion that he or she brought up in me. Thanks for making me think about this!
Maybe giving some change to a beggar does give them a little hope and a little inspiration
Please, most of them are just drug addicts probably
If you knew anything about addiction, you wouldn’t have that kind of attitude
I volunteered at a soup kitchen once, and nearly every person who came in to eat was grateful for my help. Every beggar is NOT just a drug addict; they are individuals with emotions and personalities.
“please, most of them are just drug addicts anyway probably”
Freedom of speech .. No matter how stupid the speaker is.
Sorry, that comment was asking for a response.